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Active shooter drill at Hoke high school shows the importance of timing, communication

A drill Tuesday at Hoke County High School got adrenaline pumping. It was not football two-a-days or band practice, it was an active-shooter simulation involving the sheriff's office and school district leaders.

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By
Rick Armstrong
, WRAL photojournalist
RAEFORD, N.C. — A drill Tuesday at Hoke County High School got adrenaline pumping. It was not football two-a-days or band practice, it was an active-shooter simulation involving the sheriff's office and school district leaders.

"Now you see what you may be experiencing, and it will be a little bit more intense if this were to happen in real life," said Roderick Virgil, the Hoke County sheriff.

Every law enforcement officer took a turn at responding to shots fired and the sounds of teachers screaming for help. As time ticks away, there’s a chance that a responder may react too carefully and delay providing potentially life-saving action.

That’s what was on the mind of Amanda Briggs, an assistant principal at Scurlock Elementary School. She said, "It is just eye opening, and it made me think about how I might do at our school, and I just think about how I can keep my students safe."

Hoke County High School’s principal, Thomas Benson, believes this kind of preparation should happen in every county of the state, big or small. He said, "You know, you’ve got 2,000 students on campus. You want to make security and safety of utmost importance."

Thinking that "it couldn’t happen here" is no longer an option, says Virgil. "You just don’t know. You just got to take it one day at a time because things happen in this world."

Law enforcement groups in the drill recognized the increased need for close cooperation, planning and practice between law enforcement agencies and regular communication with schools.

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